NEW DELHI, Jan 20: Nitin Nabin on Tuesday took over as the BJP’s 12th national president, succeeding J P Nadda and beginning a new chapter for the party as it seeks to tighten its grip on the country’s politics and further expand its influence in uncharted territories with a generational shift in the organisation.
Addressing a gathering at the BJP headquarters here on the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said when it comes to party matters, he is a worker and “honourable Nitin Nabin ji” is his boss.
After a formal announcement of Nabin’s name as the new BJP chief, Prime Minister Modi and other senior leaders took him to his new office at the party headquarters, where he officially assumed the charge of the party’s national president.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, outgoing BJP president Nadda and party general secretary B L Santhosh were present with Modi when Nabin took over the charge of his new responsibilities.
Along with them, Nabin’s wife, children and other close family members were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering earlier, Modi described 45-year-old Nabin as a “millennial” with youthful energy and vast experience in the organisation, and asserted that his qualities will prove to be of immense help for the party.
In his 40-minute speech, the prime minister repeatedly referred to Nabin as ‘mananiya’ (honourable) and listed out the achievements of his government over the last 11 years, which he described as giving an account of his work to the party president.
“I, too, as a party worker, was giving an account of my work to the new president. I have given an account of my work. He will now write my CR (confidential report). I am awaiting his guidance,” Modi said, referring to the work of the BJP-led NDA government.
“When it comes to party matters, mananiya (honourable) Nitin Nabin ji… I am a worker, and you are my boss,” the prime minister said, adding, “Every word of his will give us a new direction. His guidance will be a priceless asset that will chart our future course of action.” Modi also sought to draw Nabin’s attention to his responsibilities as the BJP president and suggested that he must maintain proper coordination with the NDA partners.
“Nitinji is now everybody’s president (in the party). His responsibilities are not limited to taking care of the BJP only. He has to take care of the responsibility of maintaining coordination with all friends in the NDA,” Modi said.
In his speech, Nabin exhorted people, especially youth, to enter politics to fulfil Prime Minister Modi’s resolve of making India developed and assured party workers of due recognition of their work, saying the BJP’s “watchtower” is strong enough to take note of everyone’s efforts.
He also asked the party leaders and workers to make an all-out effort to ensure the BJP’s success in the upcoming assembly polls in five states, including West Bengal, to protect the “Sanatan traditions and faith” and the country from demographic changes.
“On August 15, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called upon the country’s youth to enter public life. I want to ask the country’s youth that keeping distance from politics is not the solution but making active contributions,” he said.
Nabin said there is a need for the youth to come forward and participate in “positive politics” to fulfil Prime Minister Modi’s resolve of making India a developed country.
“At the same time, I would also like to point out to the youths that there is no shortcut in politics. Politics is not a 100-metre race but a marathon where one’s stamina and not speed is tested. Come forward and let’s work on this political pitch, keeping our roots strong,” he added.
Describing Nabin as a “young, energetic and talented karyakarta” of the BJP, Nadda said that he comes with a vast organisational and administrative experience while working for the party in various capacities and serving as a minister in the NDA government in Bihar.
“At such a young age, he is a five-term MLA. He also served as a minister in the Bihar government.
Nabin will take the party forward at a “rapid pace” under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the outgoing BJP chief asserted.
Nadda thanked party leaders and workers for their support during his term as the party president. He also expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Modi for taking time out from his busy schedule and guiding him during his tenure as the BJP chief.
“Today is a very historic occasion, when our young, energetic and talented Nitin Nabin is taking charge as the national president of the world’s largest political party, the BJP. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to him on my behalf and on behalf of crores of workers,” he said.
K Laxman, returning officer for the BJP organisational polls, declared the results of the organisational elections and handed over the certificate of election to 45-year-old Nabin, the youngest ever to occupy the top party post.
Nabin became the 12th president of the BJP, which was founded in 1980, the same year he was born.
The low-profile and unassuming Nabin had resigned as the minister for law and justice, urban development and housing in the Bihar government after he was appointed working president of the BJP on December 14.
“This election shows that in the BJP, leadership rises from hard work and dedication, not from dynastic privilege,” Laxman said, announcing the outcome of the elections.
BJP SITTING ON NEARLY ₹10000 CR CORPUS
The ruling BJP is sitting on cash and deposits worth nearly Rs 10,000 crore, according to the party’s annual audit report submitted to the Election Commission recently.
In 2024-25, when the BJP wrested power in Delhi from AAP and in Odisha from BJD, its election propaganda expenses almost doubled to Rs 3,335.36 crore from Rs 1,754.06 crore in the previous year.
The BJP saw a net increase of Rs 2,882.32 crore in its cash and deposits in 2024-25.
The party’s accounts for the year that ended on March 31, 2025, showed a general fund closing balance of Rs 12,164 crore as against Rs 9,169 crore in the previous year, the report stated.
The general fund includes Rs 9,996 crore in cash and bank deposits, and Rs 234.11 crore as loans and advances given by the party.
This corpus will now be inherited by the newly appointed BJP president Nitin Nabin, who took charge on Tuesday.
During 2024-25, the BJP received voluntary contributions to the tune of Rs 6,125 crore, swelling from the previous year’s Rs 3,967 crore, according to the report.With fixed deposits worth Rs 9,390 crore, the BJP also received a total of Rs 634 crore as interest from banks on its deposits in 2024-25.
The BJP filed an Income Tax refund of Rs 65.92 crore in 2024-25 and received an interest income of Rs 4.40 crore on it.
The party’s election expenditure accounted for 88.36 per cent of its total expenditure in 2024-25.
Of the total expenditure of Rs 3,335.36 crore incurred on elections in 2024-25, the BJP spent Rs 312.9 crore on providing financial assistance to its candidates and Rs 583 crore on travel in aircraft and helicopters.
Rs 1,125 crore was spent on electronic media for advertisement and election propaganda during elections; Rs 107 crore on cutouts, hoardings and banners; and Rs 123 crore on printed material.
Rs 897 crore was spent on advertisements, Rs 90.93 crore on rallies and campaigns, and Rs 51.72 crore on meeting expenses, according to the report. (PTI)
